The present invention relates to vehicle relays generally, and more specifically, to means for connecting circuits to pre-existing vehicle relays.
Many automotive aftermarket products require connections to pre-existing vehicle circuitry. Frequently, these connections can be made at various points in the vehicle circuitry by readily available pre-existing connecting means such as tap or butt connectors. Those skilled in the art will recognize that some aftermarket products require that the preexisting vehicle circuitry electrically drive the aftermarket product circuitry in order to function.
One common method to connect the aftermarket product circuitry to the pre-existing vehicle circuitry is at the relay that controls or switches the desired function in the pre-existing vehicle circuitry. Examples of these relays located in pre-existing vehicle circuitry and common in this field include the plugable MINI or MICRO relay.
Automotive relays are usually located in terminal boxes along with other circuit components such as fuses and circuit breakers. One recognized problem in connecting aftermarket product circuitry to the pre-existing vehicle circuitry is that the spaces within the terminal box can be confined, thereby making good electrical connections rather difficult and time consuming. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that tapping circuits at relay terminals is faster than at specific wires often contained within a complex bundle of wires.
Those skilled in the art will further recognize that the thickness of prior art relay connecting means prevents full engagement of the relay terminals with the female terminals in the receptacle, thereby resulting in poor, failure prone connections. This undesirable thickness further causes the relay to protrude from the receptacle to the point that the terminal box cover cannot be re-closed, thereby allowing the entry of dust and other contaminants.
In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to develop a means for quickly connecting circuits to pre-existing vehicle circuitry via relay terminals of pre-existing vehicle circuitry, such as the inch cube MINI or MICRO relay or any possible future plugable relay design, including but not limited to those relays which meet world International Standards Organization standards in size, terminal layout, and terminal function location.
It is further desirable to develop a versatile means for connecting circuits to pre-existing vehicle relays that is capable of connection to a specific terminal of any given relay size and type or one designed to tap any relay terminal chosen by the installer depending on his need at installation.
It is further desirable to develop a means for connecting circuits to pre-existing vehicle circuitry with a thickness that allows for full engagement of the relay terminals with the female terminals in the receptacle and reclosure of the terminal box cover.
These and other desired benefits of the preferred forms of the invention will become apparent from the following description. It will be understood, however, that a device could still appropriate the claimed invention without accomplishing each and every one of these desired benefits, including those gleaned from the following description. The appended claims, not these desired benefits, define the subject matter of the invention. Any and all benefits are derived from the preferred forms of the invention, not necessarily the invention in general.